Griffiths Quantum Mechanics 3e: Problem 2.

5 Page 1 of 4

Problem 2.5
A particle in the infinite square well has as its initial wave function an even mixture of the first
two stationary states:
Ψ(x, 0) = A[ψ1 (x) + ψ2 (x)].

(a) Normalize Ψ(x, 0). (That is, find A. This is very easy, if you exploit the orthonormality of
ψ1 and ψ2 . Recall that, having normalized Ψ at t = 0, you can rest assured that it stays
normalized—if you doubt this, check it explicitly after doing part (b).)

(b) Find Ψ(x, t) and |Ψ(x, t)|2 . Express the latter as a sinusoidal function of time, as in
Example 2.1. To simplify the result, let ω ≡ π 2 ℏ/2ma2 .

(c) Compute ⟨x⟩. Notice that it oscillates in time. What is the angular frequency of the
oscillation? What is the amplitude of the oscillation? (If your amplitude is greater than
a/2, go directly to jail.)

(d) Compute ⟨p⟩. (As Peter Lorre would say, “Do it ze kveek vay, Johnny!”)

(e) If you measured the energy of the particle, what values might you get, and what is the
probability of getting each of them? Find the expectation value of H. How does it compare
with E1 and E2 ?

Solution

In Problem 2.3 the general solution to the Schrödinger equation for the infinite square well
potential, (
0 if 0 ≤ x ≤ a
V (x) = ,
∞ otherwise
was found to be
r ∞
ℏπ 2 n2
 
2X nπx
Ψ(x, t) = Bn exp −i 2
t sin , 0≤x≤a
a 2ma a
n=1

and zero elsewhere. The coefficients Bn are determined by using the provided initial condition,

Ψ(x, 0) = A[ψ1 (x) + ψ2 (x)]

r r !
2 πx 2 2πx
=A sin + sin .
a a a a

Before doing so, though, first normalize the initial wave function to find A.
 ∞
1= |Ψ(x, 0)|2 dx
−∞
 ∞
= Ψ(x, 0)Ψ∗ (x, 0) dx
−∞

www.stemjock.com
Griffiths Quantum Mechanics 3e: Problem 2.5 Page 2 of 4

Substitute Ψ(x, 0) and evaluate the integral.

 a" r  # " r  #∗
2 πx 2πx 2 πx 2πx
1= A sin + sin A sin + sin dx
0 a a a a a a
 a" r  # " r  #
2 πx 2πx 2 πx 2πx
= A sin + sin A sin + sin dx
0 a a a a a a
 a
2A2

2 πx πx 2πx 2πx
= sin + 2 sin sin + sin2 dx
a 0 a a a a
 a a a
2A2

πx 2 πx 2πx 2 2πx
= sin dx + 2 sin sin dx + sin dx
a 0 a 0 a a 0 a
 a  a  
2A2
   
1 2πx 1 πx 2πx πx 2πx
= 1 − cos dx + 2 cos − − cos + dx
a 0 2 a 0 2 a a a a
a   
1 4πx
+ 1 − cos dx
0 2 a
 a   a  a
A2
   
2πx πx 3πx 4πx
= 1 − cos dx + 2 cos − cos dx + 1 − cos dx
a 0 a 0 a a 0 a
A2 2πx a 3πx a 4πx a
      
a a πx a a
= x− sin +2 sin − sin + x− sin
a 2π a 0 π a 3π a 0 4π a 0

A2
= [(a) + 2(0) + (a)]
a
= 2A2
Solve for A.
1
A= √
2
With it, the initial condition becomes
1 πx 1 2πx
Ψ(x, 0) = √ sin + √ sin .
a a a a
Now set t = 0 in the general solution.
r ∞ r r r
2X nπx 2 πx 2 2πx 2 3πx
Ψ(x, 0) = Bn sin = B1 sin + B2 sin + B3 sin + ···
a a a a a a a a
n=1

Comparing the coefficients, we see that

r
2 1 1
B1 = √ → B1 = √
a a 2
r
2 1 1
B2 = √ → B2 = √
a a 2
r
2
Bn = 0, n ≥ 3 → Bn = 0, n ≥ 3.
a

www.stemjock.com
Griffiths Quantum Mechanics 3e: Problem 2.5 Page 3 of 4

Therefore,
r ∞
ℏπ 2 n2
 
2X nπx
Ψ(x, t) = Bn exp −i 2
t sin
a 2ma a
n=1
r r
ℏπ 2 12 ℏπ 2 22
   
2 πx 2 2πx
= B1 exp −i 2
t sin + B2 exp −i 2
t sin
a 2ma a a 2ma a
2 2
   
1 ℏπ πx 1 2ℏπ 2πx
= √ exp −i 2
t sin + √ exp −i 2
t sin ,
a 2ma a a ma a
or using ω = ℏπ 2 /2ma2 to simplify the result,
1 πx 1 2πx
Ψ(x, t) = √ e−iωt sin + √ e−4iωt sin , 0 ≤ x ≤ a.
a a a a
Writing the solution in terms of the eigenstates,
r ! r !
1 2 πx 1 2 2πx
Ψ(x, t) = √ sin e−iωt + √ sin e−4iωt
2 a a 2 a a
1 1
= √ ψ1 (x)e−iωt + √ ψ2 (x)e−4iωt ,
2 2
we can see that the probabilities of measuring
E1 ℏ2 π 2
=ω → E1 =
ℏ 2ma2
E2 2ℏ2 π 2
= 4ω → E2 =
ℏ ma2
are
 1 2 1
 
P (E1 ) =  √  =
2 2
 2
 1  1
P (E2 ) =  √  = ,
2 2
respectively. The expectation value of the energy is
  2 2   2 2
1 ℏ π 1 2ℏ π 5ℏ2 π 2
⟨H⟩ = P (E1 )E1 + P (E2 )E2 = + = .
2 2ma2 2 ma2 4ma2
The probability distribution for the particle’s position at time t is
|Ψ(x, t)|2 = Ψ(x, t)Ψ∗ (x, t)
2πx ∗
  
1 −iωt πx 1 −4iωt 2πx 1 −iωt πx 1 −4iωt
= √ e sin +√ e sin √ e sin +√ e sin
a a a a a a a a
  
1 πx 1 2πx 1 πx 1 2πx
= √ e−iωt sin + √ e−4iωt sin √ eiωt sin + √ e4iωt sin
a a a a a a a a
1 πx 1 3iωt πx 2πx 1 −3iωt πx 2πx 1 2πx
= sin2 + e sin sin + e sin sin + sin2
a a a a a a a  a a a
1 πx πx 2πx 2πx
= sin2 + (e3iωt + e−3iωt ) sin sin + sin2
a a a a a
 
1 πx πx 2πx 2πx
= sin2 + 2 cos 3ωt sin sin + sin2 , 0 ≤ x ≤ a.
a a a a a

www.stemjock.com
Griffiths Quantum Mechanics 3e: Problem 2.5 Page 4 of 4

Observe that the wave function remains normalized for all t.

∞  a a a 
2 1 2 πx πx 2πx 2 2πx
|Ψ(x, t)| dx = sin dx +2 cos 3ωt sin sin dx + sin dx = 1
−∞ a 0 a a a a
| {z } |0 {z } |0 {z }
= a/2 =0 = a/2

Now calculate the expectation value of x at time t.

 ∞
⟨x⟩ = Ψ∗ (x, t)(x)Ψ(x, t) dx
−∞
 a
2πx ∗
  
1 −iωt πx 1 −4iωt 1 −iωt πx 1 −4iωt 2πx
= √ e sin +√ e sin (x) √ e sin +√ e sin dx
0 a a a a a a a a

1 a
 
2 πx πx 2πx 2 2πx
= x sin + 2 cos 3ωt sin sin + sin dx
a 0 a a a a
 a a a 
1 2 πx πx 2πx 2 2πx
= x sin dx + 2 cos 3ωt x sin sin dx + x sin dx
a 0 a 0 a a 0 a
 a   a     
1 x 2πx x πx 2πx πx 2πx
= 1 − cos dx + 2 cos 3ωt cos − − cos + dx
a 0 2 a 0 2 a a a a
a   
x 4πx
+ 1 − cos dx
0 2 a
 a a  a a 
1 2πx πx 3πx
= x dx − x cos dx + 2 cos 3ωt x cos dx − x cos dx
2a 0 a a a
0 0 0
a a 
4πx
+ x dx − x cos dx
0 0 a
1 a2 2a2 2a2 a2
   
= − 0 + 2 cos 3ωt − 2 + 2 + −0
2a 2 π 9π 2
32a2
 
1 2
= a − cos 3ωt
2a 9π 2
a 16a
= − cos 3ωt
2 9π 2
The expectation value of x oscillates in time with an amplitude and angular frequency of
16a 3ℏπ 2
≈ 0.180a and 3ω = ,
9π 2 2ma2
respectively. Finally, use Ehrenfest’s theorem to calculate the expectation value of p at time t.
 
d⟨x⟩ d a 16a 16maω
⟨p⟩ = m =m − 2 cos 3ωt = sin 3ωt
dt dt 2 9π 3π 2
ℏπ 2 3ℏπ 2
   
16ma
= sin t
3π 2 2ma2 2ma2
3ℏπ 2
 
8ℏ
= sin t
3a 2ma2

www.stemjock.com